Clinical laboratory testing has changed and improved remarkably over the past several years. Initially, tests or assays were performed manually, and generally utilized large quantities of serum, blood or other materials and/or body fluids. As mechanical technology developed in the industrial work place, similar technology was introduced into the clinical laboratory. With the introduction of new technology, methodologies were also improved in an effort to improve the quality of the results produced by the individual instruments, and to minimize the amount of specimen required to perform each test.
More recently, instruments have been developed to increase the efficiency of testing procedures by reducing turnaround time and decreasing the volumes necessary to perform various assays. Present directions in laboratory testing focus on cost containment procedures and instrumentation. Robotic engineering has evolved to such a degree that various types of robots and conveyance systems have been effectively applied in the clinical laboratory setting, permitting the substantial automation of the laboratory.
With the advent of laboratory automation systems, a variety of accessories and associated equipment must also be developed. In this regard, the insertion and retrieval of specimens on to a conveyor track of a laboratory automation system have been slow and ineffective. In addition, prior art laboratory automation systems suffered from difficulties in organizing specimen containers, manipulation of the specimen containers as well as short term and long term storage of the specimen containers.